Why nations that fail women fail

Link Between Women's Oppression and State Instability

• Premodern sexist customs, such as suppressing women's voices, correlate directly with increased societal violence, instability, and state fragility.
• Data indicates a strong positive correlation between high misogyny scores (on a 0–16 scale) and high Fragile States Index rankings; nations with low misogyny scores (e.g., Australia, Sweden, Switzerland) score zero on misogyny and rank low on fragility.
• Iraq, Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, and South Sudan are identified as having high sexism scores (15 or lower) and are classified as very fragile states.
• Male kinship groups, historically formed for self-defense, often function as rival governments that suppress female autonomy to maintain fraternal power, contributing to national instability in regions like Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Specific Customary Practices Driving Conflict

• Bride Pricing:
  • In South Sudan, the practice has shifted from a social bonding ritual to viewing women as tradeable assets, incentivizing violent cattle raids when men cannot acquire enough livestock legitimately.
  • Nearly half the world's population lives in countries where bride pricing is practiced; this mentality fosters a "paid for, so we can do whatever we want" attitude toward women, leading to domestic violence that spills into the public sphere.
  • Bride pricing drives down the age of marriage; 20% of young women are married before age 15, and one-fifth before age 18.
• Polygyny:
  • Polygyny is present in all 20 most unstable states according to the Fragile States Index.
  • A recent study found 90% of women in polygynous unions experienced emotional or physical distress, contributing to high rates of depression and anxiety.
  • Polygyny creates a demographic imbalance where the richest 10% of men monopolize wives, leaving the bottom 30% of men unable to marry, which serves as a recruitment tool for armed groups promising wives to frustrated single men.
• Male Kinship Structures:
  • In societies dominated by powerful male kinship groups (e.g., India, China, Caucasus), women are often denied property rights and leadership roles to preserve male group cohesion.
  • The prevalence of these groups makes countries more violent and unstable as they resist state governance and female representation.

Political Mobilization and Peacebuilding Outcomes

• Nations that fail to prioritize women's equality and access to services like health and education are statistically more prone to violent conflict.
• When women are politically demobilized, societies are more likely to resort to violent conflict; conversely, nonviolent political mobilization by women is highly effective at driving organic reform.
• Long-term peace processes involving women are 35% more likely to remain peaceful over a 15-year period due to the increased legitimacy and threat posed by diverse movements.
• Revolutions involving women tend to result in better governments and greater concessions from regimes compared to those led solely by men.
• Historical examples of female-led peace success include:
  • Liberia (2003): Women's mass action forced President Charles Taylor to open peace talks; female negotiators held warring factions "hostage" in Ghana until they signed the peace accord.
  • Other Regions: Female negotiators have similarly shaped lasting peace processes in Colombia and Northern Ireland.

Current Trends, Statistics, and Future Projections

• Negotiator Disparity: In 2022, only 16% of negotiators in UN-led or co-led peace processes were women, a decline from 23% in 2020.
• Positive Shifts: Patrilineal cultures based on male lineage are becoming less common, and polygamy rates are in decline globally.
• Policy Recommendations:
  • Rich countries should ensure women hold title to property (land and houses).
  • Governments must raise the legal marriage age for girls to 18 to revolutionize country stability.
  • Western donors and organizations are urged to factor women's interests into development aid and governance strategies.
• Forward-Looking Statement: Policymakers who ignore the interests of half the population will struggle to build a better world; investing in girls creates healthier families, wealthier societies, and more resilient nations.